TOLEDO, Ohio – Toledo (4-1) wraps up its non-conference ledger against Summit League member North Dakota (0-5) on Monday, Dec. 21 at home. The opening tip against the Fighting Hawks is slated for 1:00 p.m. in Savage Arena and will be streamed on ESPN3.
The Rockets and North Dakota will square off for the first time since 2010-11 and fourth time overall. Toledo is a perfect 3-0 all-time vs. UND, most recently securing a 71-55 home triumph on Jan. 1, 2011. The Midnight Blue & Gold also posted a 68-60 home win on Dec. 6, 2008 in the only other matchup between the schools in the "Glass City." It also marked Head Coach
Tricia Cullop's first home game with the Rockets in the "renovated" Savage Arena.
Toledo, which is 3-1 at home this season, is coming off a hard-fought 77-74 home triumph against Atlantic 10 member Duquesne (2-2) on Friday. With the impressive win against the Dukes, Coach Cullop moved into sole possession of second place in Mid-American Conference history with 259 career victories.
Sophomore
Quinesha Lockett led four Rockets in double figures with a career-high 24 points vs. DU, including nine in the pivotal fourth quarter to help them successfully bounce back from last Sunday's first loss of the season. Lockett converted a clutch layup with the score tied and a little over three minutes left in regulation and knocked down two free throws in the waning seconds to preserve the win.
Freshman
Sammi Mikonowicz added 14 points and 11 rebounds, sophomore
Sophia Wiard had 14 points and a game-tying high five assists and sophomore
Mali Morgan-Elliott contributed 10 points and a career-high 13 boards to record her first-collegiate double-double.
As a team, the Rockets shot a season-high 47.6 percent (30-of-63) from the field and posted a commanding 43-29 edge on the glass, sparked by the efforts of Morgan-Elliott and Mikonowicz.
Through the first five contests, Toledo is paced offensively by the quintet of Wiard, Lockett, Mikonowicz, Morgan-Elliott and freshman
Khera Goss, who are averaging 19.8, 18.2, 9.0, 7.8 and 6.0 ppg, respectively. This group accounts for a whopping 84.0 percent (304 of 362 points) of the Rockets' scoring. Wiard is currently eighth in the MAC in scoring, while Lockett is 11th. Wiard and Lockett are one of three duo's ranked in the Top 11 in the league in scoring, along with Ohio and Central Michigan.
Toledo will face a North Dakota squad which is coming off a 74-67 road setback against North Dakota State on Wednesday, Dec. 16. Julia Fleecs and Megan Zander led the Fighting Hawks with 21 and 20 points vs. the Bison, respectively.
UND, which is 0-4 away from home in 2020-21, also utilizes a balanced offense with three players contributing at least 10.0 ppg led by Fleecs' 18.2 ppg, 9.0 rpg and 1.4 bpg.
Monday's contest will be Toledo's last against a non-conference opponent. The Rockets are 20-19 (.513) all-time in non-league finales since joining the MAC in 1981-82. Coach Cullop is also a flashy 10-2 (.833) in non-conference finales while patrolling the Toledo sidelines. A season ago, Toledo closed out non-league play with an 83-65 home victory vs. Canisius on Dec. 29.
Following Monday's matinee, the Rockets will host Akron (3-1, 0-1 MAC) on Saturday, Jan. 2. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in Savage Arena and will be televised on ESPN+.
